What I look for in a good barleywine is flavor over alcohol. If the alcohol takes over the taste like in Speakeasy's barleywine (see review) I believe it lacks quality. I had this beer a craft bar in Albany, it is somewhat difficult to find outside of a bar. Either way, this is my favorite barleywine, I prefer it over any barrel aged barleywine because the mouth feel of this beer has a thin fizzy bite as opposed to a syrupy thick taste like bell's saturn. This beer taste similar to Stone's barleywine; Old Guardian. The thing that makes it better is the refreshing taste. I almost taste some sort of citrus. It is unlike most barleywines in that way. If you want a barleywine that is not barrel aged, get this one. If you want any beer in general and this one is on the menu, get this one. (794 characters)

I admit that my review may be of limited value due to my inexperience with the style and because I had this on cask, which I am not used to. This was the 2013 version (aged two years). Great smell of caramel, toffee, and faint alcohol, along with some fruit. The taste, which really concealed the alcohol nicely, did appear to have some complexity, but wasn't as appealing as the taste. The mouthfeel was really the low point, as it tasted thin and undercarbonated, although again this being on cask probably played a role in my dissatisfaction with the mouthfeel. To me, this seemed quite overrated (599 characters)

This is probably my favorite old ale. Before it was released in Cali, I always had an issue finding an Old Ale that was both on point and wouldn't break the bank, the Bruery, Alesmith and North Coast where pretty much the only choices I had for solid Old Ales but of course they are all very expensive.

The six packs have been a godsend, making this beer actually feasible for drinking once or twice during the week and at the price of a single 750ml of Alesmith's Old Ale. (474 characters)

Bottle dated 10/12/12. Tremendous bouquet on this beer. Lots of rich sweet raisin, dark fig & caramel malt with a faint fenal alcohol underlining things. Doesn't taste as good as it smells, though. The caramel malt is the main note, though a little heavy, with a backbone of baker's chocolate, bitter toffee and dark cherry. There is a distinct leather note at the end that threw me off a little bit. Some warm booze follow-through as well as some smokey peat. It is a very intricate beer, sweet but heavy, a must-try if only for its complexity. (546 characters)

A - The beer pours a pale golden copper. A one-inch head of tight, fluffy eggnog foam coats the surface and take a good while to dissipate to a fine sheen. Held to a full-spectrum light, the beer is a rich, saturated rosewood color and quite translucent to opaque. Thin legs of sugar fall from the lace around the edges.

S - Soft, stretchy caramels and caramelized sugars, lightly toasted malts backed by hints of dried floral hops and traces of ABV. Over time, the hops become more herbal and prominent. Some light molasses with toffee after it warms, with hints of soft spicing like white pepper.

T - Butterscotch and caramel initially - at this point, it's a Scotch ale. Almost immediately, however, dried herbal, earthy bitters follow and take over the taste profile. Caramelized sugars show up late into the finish, which lasts a long time flipping through the various aspects of the initial taste. Finish settles into a noticeably bitter and dry profile, and seems to go on forever. As it warms in the glass, notes of dried, dark fruit appear.

M - A rather neutral mouthfeel that's smooth, almost slick, but rather clean with just a touch of fizziness in the end. Finish lingers and echoes. Medium body. Components compliment each other well, with integration that matches the aging, but they remain pretty easily identified individually. This suggests this beer could handle another 3-5 years of aging.

O - If the hops were fresh instead of melded into the beer, this could be an IIPA. It would also be quite interesting to be able to taste this same beer after a couple of more years of aging to see if time could take some of the edge of the bittering hops off and allow a tad more of the caramel to play longer in the glass. Still, this is a very enjoyable sipping beer. For those like me who love Scotch ales but also want to give the palette a break from the sugar, but also want something other than the coffee/chocolate of stouts, this is a good beer by which to appreciate the role of hops melded into the brew. (2,118 characters)

I'm an IPA guy, myself, so when I tried this, I wasn't overwhelmed. For what it is, it is good. The tartness is tasty & well-balanced, and the high 10.20% ABV does not dominate. But, I like my beers a little less sour and fruity. (232 characters)

Drank 9 months after bottling date, and I must say it is perfectly balanced. Hop-presence is certainly noticeable on the palate, but not at all overpowering. In fact, the subtle touch of hops keeps the flavor from being cloying, but it is definitely sweet; definitely did not feature a bitter flavor that some reviews led me to expect. Definitely going to have to get some more of these. (387 characters)

Pours a dark reddish brown. Immediate smell of sweetness, toffee, caramel, and molasses. Taste is initially sweet of caramel and molasses. Maybe some fruit. Very smooth mouthfeel. Rich and velvety. Finishes balanced and not overly sweet with some bitterness. A little booziness seeps in as well.

This was tried eight months post bottling. Have a few more for aging. (370 characters)

This beer already acts like a 4 year old bigfoot or curmudgeon. The tastes are different in each, but I am overwhelmed by the complexity exhibited in this freshly brewed, non-barrel elixir. hops are not as high as bigfoot, and old ale brashness is already a bit blunted. The effect is pulled off with deftness while retaining a huge flavor, malt forward and deep. If fresh American barleywine floats you , in its DIPA characteristics ( and I do like that), this beer strays. It acts old beyond its age. The hops are strong, but way muted , used for beautiful bittering. Not an aromatic hop hit.

I bought a case and will relish the effects age will have on this masterpiece. (913 characters)

One of the best brews I have ever had. Pours a dark amber color with a finger of foam. Smells of dried blackberries, orange, lemon, and caramel. Taste has small hint of sweetness and cocoa, along citrus flavors. Very complex. Mouthfeel is lightly carbonated and smooth. Overall an outstanding brew. Highly recommended. (318 characters)

Smells malty, can detect the yeast, as well as the aroma of wild berries. Taste follows up with that malty backbone as well as notes of honey, brandy, rhuarb, wild berries, and ethanol. Has a thick, bready feel with a heavy stickiness to it. This really illustrates what it means to have a 'complex' flavor. Maybe I was primed to think so by the name but this beer made me feel like a black bear scrounging for all the delicious goodies in the forest. So good, will buy again. Wow. (481 characters)

Just doesn't do it for me for a barleywine. It's flavor is extremely cloying and overly buttery sweet for a beer. It really doesn't taste like a barleywine or let alone, a beer, at all. I love Bell's, probably one of my favorite breweries but i just really don't like this one at all. (284 characters)

T: Sweet flavors up front, then right into some bitterness, alcohol is really noticeable at the end, dry finish.

M: Nice mouthfeel, not big, slightly more than a medium mouthfeel, leaves a very dry finish, lots of alcohol burn on this for being nearly 5 months after the bottle date.

O: My overall impression is that this is a very rough, on the palate, beer, bitterness, alcohol burn, not an easy drinking beer, going to cellar the rest of my six-pack to see how this mellows out, it's definitely a big beer, a sipper. Warms up really nice, the bitterness subsides making it easier to drink. Still good, not as impressed as I thought I was going to be, but something I can see myself having again with some age. (970 characters)

To my limited palate, hoppy for a BW or for an Old Ale, (BA classifies as a barley wine but it is called an old ale - go figure), Fairly bold flavors, alcohol significantly present but not unpleasantly so. A sipper for sure, Fair amount of bitterness, not getting any caramel,

I intend to age rest of 6 pack and see if sweeter flavors emerge, Glad I bought, I'll judge after aging whether I'll buy again. (407 characters)

First off, this is a beautiful color. I like the aroma. Flavor was good, but not my style. Just too malty (I know this is how it's supposed to be). I couldn't tie it to any particular flavor that I am familiar with, just general maltiness. Nice feel too it. Alcohol wasn't very pronounced, although certainly present. I can certainly see why people like this one. (370 characters)

Bells in California, nuff said! Out of a 12 ounce bottle, on to the beer:

A small head forms and dissipates to a mere froth on top this chestnut brown beer. The beer smells fruity, like dates, raisins, grapes, topped with toasted brown sugar around its edges. I'd call that nice.

Third Coast leans to the sweet side. A slap of alcohol joins the molasses, dates, and brown sugar which tag along the ride for much of the journey. Yet not too sweet, and not too boozy. The beer also offers nutty flavors and a modest bittersweet finish, which keeps the beer in form. A little boozy, although not annoying boozy. The beer is full bodied and chewy, and is a pleasurable (slow sipping) drink. (690 characters)

Sweet, big and very nice barleywine. Slight bitter finish but to me, this falls more in line with an Old Ale or English style BW vs. American BW as its listed. Very solid and enjoyable big beer. (196 characters)